Nasal inhaler



Patented May 27, 1947 NASAL INHALER lilluna L. Apfelbaum, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Victor Metal Products Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 24, 1944, Serial No. 560,085

. 1 Claim. l

This invention relates to nasal inhalers and particularly to the type designed to be molded of synthetic plastic material and operated by one hand of the user.

The invention contemplates the provision of a three piece inhaler wherein a, combined sealing cover and valve member is slidably and rotatably secured to a relatively fixed medicament containing member, the latter having a removable bottom to permit the quick and easy intro-- ductionof the inhalant when necessary.

'I'he invention further contemplates the provision of an easily lockable and unlockable connection between the cover and the inhalant container, said connection serving also as an inlet valve for the entrance of outer air into the inhalant compartment, and having a cam action to compress a gasket between the cover and container thereby to insure a proper seal against leakage of medicated vapor when the inhaler is not in use.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawings, in which Fig. l is a front elevation of the inhaler with the cover shown in section in its locked position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the cover in its unlocked or open position.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, the inhalant container i is open at its bottom end II, into which the removable closure I2 is inserted. Said closure is in the form of a cap provided with a, skirt I3 which may, if desired, be screwed into the interior of the container and a head I 4 adapted normally to seat in sealing contact against the bottom end II with a gasket (not shown)A therebetween if found convenient. The container I is preferably molded in a single piece, being provided With spaced upright ribs as l5 to form irregularities adapted to be gripped by a portion of the users hand when the rotatable portion of the inhaler is rotated as will be more fully described hereinafter. At its upper end the container terminates in a teat I6, preferably of conical form. A shoulder as I'I is provided at the lower end of the teat and serves to retain the washer or gasket I8 of suitable yielding and compressible material such as rubber, cork, felt or the like. The upper portion I9 of the container I0 is substantially reduced in diameter as compared to the diameter of the lower portion and is made hollow to provide the compartment 2li. At the juncture of the hollow lower portion ZI yof the container and the upper portion I9 the shoulder 2.2 is provided to hold the washer or gasket 23 of suitable gasket material similar to the gasket I8.

A preferably conical connecting part as 25 integrally joins the teat I6 and the upper container portion I9. It will be noted that the container Il), as well as the closure I2, are both designed to be readily molded of plastic material to form a light weight device of substantial strength and Without the necessity for the use of excess material.

II'he compartment 25 in the lower container portion 2I is adapted to receive a suitable inhalant in any of the usual forms such as an inhalant stick or medicated absorbent cotton or the like. The medicament or inhalant is inserted into the compartment 25 quickly and easily by removing the closure cap I'2 thus exposing the open end of the compartment. Through the wall of the portion I9 is made the substantially L-shaped slot 26 which serves the functions of a lock for the top or cover 121, a scalable air inlet opening to the compartment 20, and a guide for the top. Said slot is provided with a substantially upright portion 29 and with a substantially horizontal portion 2'8 which tapers slightly downwardly for the reason which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The top or cover '2i is also molded in a single piece of plastic material and is hollow and slidably tted to theupper portion t9 of the container. At its lower end said top is provided with an outstanding iiange as30 adapted to compress the gasket 23 When the inhaler is not in use. In the wall 3| substantially closingr one end of the top is made the preferably conical opening 32 adapted to receive the teat I6 when the inhaler is not in use at which time the gasket I8 is in sealing contact with the inner surface 33 of said wall.

The top or cover 21 is slidable vertically and is also rotatable on the part I9 of the container. To guide the top in its sliding and rotating movement the pin or screw yil! is secured to and passes through the flange 30 into the locking slot. Said pin prevents the separation of the topor cover 2l from the container Ill, permits locking of said top in sealing position wherein the slot 2B is closed and also guides the top in its movement. To permit medicated vapor to be drawn from the compartment 25 through the opening 32, one or more holes as 35, preferably inclined to the aXis of the container, are made through the connecting portion 24.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. l, the top or cover 21 is in its lowerrnost position as it has been rotated counterclockwise as viewed in said figure to carry the pin 34 to the right end of the slot portion 28. Since, as has been indicated, said slot portion is tapered downwardly the rotation of the top causes the pin to engage the downwardly inclined edges of the slot portion 28 thereby to move the top downwardly to suicient extent to compress the gasket 23 and thereby to lock the top in sealing relation to the container Hl. At the same time the top is forced downwardly against the gasket i8 to seal the opening 32, The top 21 by covering the slot 2=6 prevents entrance of any exterior air through the slot into the container while the closure cap l2 seals the lower end of the compartment 25.

While tapering of the sides of the slot portion 28 is usually suicient to cause the desired locking action and compression of the gaskets 23 and I8 said slot portion may be extended horizontally, if desired, at its right hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1, to prevent unlocking of the cap by rotation in a clockwise direction as will be obvious. It will be noted that the inhaler may be opened and closed by the use of only one hand since the portion I may readily be held in the palm and retained therein against slipping by the ribs l and two ngers of the same hand engaging the ange 30 may be used first to rotate the top 21' in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to carry the pin 34 to the bottom of the upright portion 29 of the slot 26 and then to raise the top to unseal the opening 32, 'the pin riding upwardly in the slot portion 29 during the latter part of the movement.

When the inhaler is in use medicated air or vapor from within the container is inhaled through the opening 32. Outside air entering through the now exposed slot 26 permits upward movement of the gases or vapors in the compartment 25. To lock the inhaler and to maintain it in its inoperative position, the top 21 is moved downwardly and then rotated in a counterclockwise direction as hereinbefore explained. It will be seen that the container is thereby adequately locked and sealed against leakage of medicated vapor, that the parts are easily molded of synthetic material to form a light, comparatively inexpensive, but durable, and eiiicient device, and that the inhaler is well designed to meet the requirements of practical use.

While a specic form of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein within the scope of the appended claim.

.I claim:

A pocket inhaler adapted to be held in one hand and manipulated by the fingers of the same hand and comprising a one-piece elongated container, valve part, air inlet part and locking part combined, said one-piece container being in the form of a pair of integral coaxial hollow cylinders of diiTerent inner and outer diameters, the larger cylinder being open at its lower end and constituting th'e container part of the inhaler, the smaller cylinder terminating at its upper end in a solid teat constituting the aforementioned valve part, a conical wall on the smaller cylinder below the teat, said wall having a flat annular shoulder at the upper end thereof, an annular gasket on said shoulder, the wall having inclined spaced perforations therethrough, a second flat annular shoulder at the juncture of th'e cylinders, a second annular gasket on the second shoulder, a removable closure for the open end of the larger cylinder comprising a head and an upstanding skirt within the periphery of the head and fitted to the inner surface of the larger cylinder, the smaller cylinder having an L-sh'aped slot therethrough constituting said inlet part and said locking part combined, one leg of the slot being parallel to the axes of the cylinders and the other being at an obtuse angle to said one leg and subtending an angle less than both legs being closed at the respective outer ends thereof, a hollow cover on the outside of the smaller cylinder and having a smooth inner surface fitted to the outer surface of the Smaller cylinder and slidable axially thereon and also rotatable thereon, an outstanding ange at the lower end of the cover adapted to be pressed into engagement with the second gasket, an end wall on the cover having an opening therein to receive the teat, and a pin carried by the ilange of th'e cover and extending inwardly thereof into the slot, the pin being arranged at the upper end of said one leg of the slot when the cover is raised orf the teat and the air inlet slot is exposed, and being at the closed end of the other leg of the slot when th'e slot is covered and the teat is in the opening of the cover to compress both of said gaskets, to lock the cover against separation from and accidental movement relatively to the container and to seal the interior of the container against the entrance of outside air thereinto.

HUNA L. APFELBAUM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 395,436 Green Jan. 1, 1889 443,191 Illing Dec. 23, 1890 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 542,670 France Aug. 19, 1922 574,737 France July 18, 1924 115,555 Germany Dec. 10, 1899 370,328 Germany Mar. 1, 1923 

